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Balram AC, Flensberg K, Paaske J, et al. Current-Induced Gap Opening in Interacting Topological Insulator Surfaces. Phys Rev Lett. 2019;123(24):246803doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.123.246803.
Balram, A. C., Flensberg, K., Paaske, J., & Rudner, M. S. (2019). Current-Induced Gap Opening in Interacting Topological Insulator Surfaces. Physical review letters, 123(24), 246803. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.123.246803
Balram, Ajit C, et al. "Current-Induced Gap Opening in Interacting Topological Insulator Surfaces." Physical review letters vol. 123,24 (2019): 246803. doi: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.123.246803
Balram AC, Flensberg K, Paaske J, Rudner MS. Current-Induced Gap Opening in Interacting Topological Insulator Surfaces. Phys Rev Lett. 2019 Dec 13;123(24):246803. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.123.246803. PMID: 31922820.
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Phys Rev Lett. 2019 Dec 13;123(24):246803. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.123.246803.

Current-Induced Gap Opening in Interacting Topological Insulator Surfaces.

Physical review letters

Ajit C Balram, Karsten Flensberg, Jens Paaske, Mark S Rudner

Affiliations

  1. Niels Bohr International Academy, Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
  2. Center for Quantum Devices, Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
  3. The Institute of Mathematical Sciences, HBNI, CIT Campus, Chennai 600113, India.

PMID: 31922820 DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.123.246803

Abstract

Two-dimensional topological insulators (TIs) host gapless helical edge states that are predicted to support a quantized two-terminal conductance. Quantization is protected by time-reversal symmetry, which forbids elastic backscattering. Paradoxically, the current-carrying state itself breaks the time-reversal symmetry that protects it. Here we show that the combination of electron-electron interactions and momentum-dependent spin polarization in helical edge states gives rise to feedback through which an applied current opens a gap in the edge state dispersion, thereby breaking the protection against elastic backscattering. Current-induced gap opening is manifested via a nonlinear contribution to the system's I-V characteristic, which persists down to zero temperature. We discuss prospects for realizations in recently discovered large bulk band gap TIs, and an analogous current-induced gap opening mechanism for the surface states of three-dimensional TIs.

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